The doc wanted to see me this week in order to refill a medication prescription. Just after 8 holiday parties, I went in and was weighed as usual. Oh boy.
I know I gain during the winter and loose it in the more active summer, but did I need to be weighed right after Christmas? My weight increased so that now for the first time in my life I am considered overweight (but no obese:D), according to the BMI calculation.
I have begun watching calories & keeping track of calories in a written log, (which I understand is good for achieving results.) As part of my 'recovery', I am also discovering how to burn calories.
So how many calories does each stroke burn? From the internet, in a one hour swim (assume that means swimming continuously) for my weight / age:
..backstroke 651
..breaststroke 931
..butterfly 1024
..freestyle fast 931
..freestyle moderate 651
(Note to self: 1 pound of body fat = 3500 calories)
Parents
Former Member
The exercise calorie burn numbers are generalized and may be reasonably accurate for you -- or maybe they won't. Actual calorie burn will vary by your skill, speed, water temperature, your flotation, your conditioning, and myriad other factors.
BMI is a statistic but may not be an accurate estimate of body composition / body fat. If you get dehydrated, your pounds and BMI will drop but it isn't achieving your overall objective. Heavily-muscled, lean individuals with large bones can be incorrectly labeled as overweight or even obese strictly by virtue of their high BMI.
Measuring your food and logging calories consumed does help keep you accountable to your caloric intake; keeping an exercise log does help you see what your expenditures are. After collecting some data you'll be able to fine-tune and see what works for you and what doesn't.
You may find motivation using a tape measure to record your waist circumference; and a body fat scale to see if pounds lost are due to improved body composition.
The exercise calorie burn numbers are generalized and may be reasonably accurate for you -- or maybe they won't. Actual calorie burn will vary by your skill, speed, water temperature, your flotation, your conditioning, and myriad other factors.
BMI is a statistic but may not be an accurate estimate of body composition / body fat. If you get dehydrated, your pounds and BMI will drop but it isn't achieving your overall objective. Heavily-muscled, lean individuals with large bones can be incorrectly labeled as overweight or even obese strictly by virtue of their high BMI.
Measuring your food and logging calories consumed does help keep you accountable to your caloric intake; keeping an exercise log does help you see what your expenditures are. After collecting some data you'll be able to fine-tune and see what works for you and what doesn't.
You may find motivation using a tape measure to record your waist circumference; and a body fat scale to see if pounds lost are due to improved body composition.
